Sixth form college teachers to walk out on strike this month

Staff at sixth form colleges are set to take strike action in a dispute over pay and funding. Members of the National Education Union (NEU), who teach in 32 sixth form colleges, have backed walk-outs in a fight for an above-inflation pay award.

The move comes after the Government announced in July that teachers and leaders in England will receive a fully-funded 5.5% pay rise this year. Although academised sixth form colleges have been guaranteed funding to implement the pay award, this is not the case for sixth form colleges which are not academised, the NEU has said.

The union added that it is unclear whether the additional funding for further education announced in the Budget, including for sixth form colleges, can be utilised for staff pay. In September, the NEU opened the ballot for more than 2,000 members across 40 sixth form colleges in England which have decided not to undergo academisation.

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Overall, there was a 62% turnout and a 97% vote in favour of strike action. The NEU passed the 50% ballot turnout required by law at 32 sixth form colleges. Strike days have been announced across 32 colleges for November 28, December 3 and December 4 2024. Colleges affected include St John Rigby RC Sixth Form College and Winstanley College, which are both in Wigan.

Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, told the PA news agency: “NEU sixth form college teachers have shown that they will fight for a fair pay award for all colleges. We are in dispute due to the baffling decision by the Government to offer an above-inflation pay award to some sixth form colleges and not others.

“This choice fundamentally undermines our existing national collective bargaining arrangement within the sixth form college sector and risks the creation of a two-tier workforce. The recent additional funding awarded to further education, including sixth form colleges, should properly be spent on staff pay and we are seeking urgent clarification from the DfE that they will confirm that colleges may do so.

“We have been disappointed by the failure of the Government to resolve this frankly unnecessary dispute, particularly when we have taken every step to explain the distinctive nature of sixth form colleges relative to the schools sector, and the importance of maintaining the integrity of existing collective bargaining arrangements. Our strong ballot result demonstrates that members will not hesitate to take strike action if this farcical situation is not put right.”

In a further statement today announcing the strike dates, Mr Kebede added: "We have given the Government every opportunity to sensibly resolve this avoidable dispute. The recent comments of Jacqui Smith that she would wish to see college pay rises match those within schools are welcome and we remain hopeful that the Government will guarantee that colleges may utilise additional funding now allocated to them for staff pay. Over 2,000 NEU sixth form college teachers stand ready and will not hesitate to take strike action to win a fair pay award for every college.

"Our dispute has highlighted the lack of care shown to the further education sector as a whole and the urgent need to bring up college staff pay up to at least the same level as in schools. We remain concerned by the disregard shown by the DfE to the longstanding, effective collective bargaining arrangements in sixth form colleges and would expect that this situation would not arise in future. No teacher wants to take strike action. The NEU remains open to negotiation.

Last year, NEU members staged eight days of strike action in state schools in England in a pay dispute. Graham Baird, director of HR services at the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA), said: “We agree with the NEU that the Government’s decision to exclude sixth form colleges from the funding to increase staff pay is baffling.

“We also agree that this decision undermines our highly effective system of collective pay bargaining. However, we cannot condone strike action being taken in sixth form colleges and we will continue to urge the Government to avoid this action by providing the additional funding required to match the pay award made to staff in schools”.

A spokesperson for the NEU said: “We have written to the Secretary of State to schedule an urgent meeting to discuss the decision by the government to offer an above-inflation pay award to some sixth form colleges and not others. We hope that a successful resolution will be met. Should there be no successful outcome the NEU has a strong mandate for strike action. No member wants to be taking strike action but, if we are left with no other option, a timetable for action will be outlined in due course.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Ensuring people have the skills they need for the future is crucial to this government’s number one mission to grow the economy. We recognise the vital role that further education, including sixth form colleges, play in this. Sixth form colleges are responsible for the setting of appropriate pay for their workforce and for managing their own industrial relations.

“The October Budget provided an additional £300m revenue funding for further education to ensure young people are developing the skills this country needs. The department will set out in due course how this funding will be distributed.”

• The 32 sixth form colleges that will be called upon to take strike action are as follows: Aquinas College (Stockport)

• Barton Peveril Sixth Form College (Eastleigh)

• Bolton Sixth Form College

• Brighton Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College

• Cardinal Newman College (Preston)

• Christ The King Sixth Form College (Lewisham)

• Christ The King Sixth Form College Aquinas

• Capital City College – Angel (Islington)

• Greenhead College (Huddersfield)

• Henley College

• Hills Road Sixth Form College (Cambridge)

• Holy Cross College (Bury)

• Itchen College (Southampton)

• Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College (Birmingham)

• Leyton Sixth Form College

• Loreto College (Manchester)

• Luton Sixth Form College

• Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College (Leeds)

• Peter Symonds College (Winchester)

• Richard Collyer, The College of (Horsham)

• Scarborough Sixth Form College

• Shrewsbury Colleges Group

• Sir George Monoux College (Walthamstow)

• St Brendan's Sixth Form College (Bristol)

• St Charles Catholic Sixth Form College (Kensington)

• St Francis Xavier Sixth Form College (Clapham)

• St John Rigby RC Sixth Form College (Wigan)

• Varndean College (Brighton)

• Wilberforce College (Hull)

• Winstanley College (Wigan)

• WQE and Regent College Group (Leicester)

• Wyke Sixth Form College

• Xaverian College (Manchester)